Display device



\ June 1941- H. v. LONGLEY DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 27, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 June'- 3, 1941.

H. V. LONGLEY DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 27, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor HERMAN I! L ONG'L 5); M64.

Attorneys June 3, 1941. H. v. LONGLEY DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 27, 19403 Sheets-Sheet 3 HERMAN 1/ L ONG L E Y,

Attorney Patented June 3, 1941 DISPLAY DEVICE Herman V. Longley, Elkton,Va., assignor of onehalf to Leslie 0. Reeveafladdonfield, N. J.

Application January 27, 1940, Serial No. 316,029

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a display device especially adapted foradvertising purposes and primarily for attracting the attention ofpersons to a selected place, establishment or to merchandise on display,and has for the primary object the provision of a power driven rotatableand illuminated device which may be seen for a maximum distance and maybe conveniently located so that the visibility thereof to persons withina selected area will be assured.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is a front elevation, partly in section,

illustrating a display device constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating. thedevice.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the displayelement illustrating the arrangement of electric wires therein.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a hollowsupporting post, the lower portion of which is mountable in a cementfoundation 6. An ornamental base I is arranged on the post 5 and restsupon the foundation 6. A tubular extension 8' of a housing 9 extendsinto the upper end of the post with a frictional fit therewith. Theextension 8 has a shoulder II! to engage the upper end of the post forlimiting the movement of the extension into the post. A set screw I I iscarried by the post to engage with the extension for securing thehousing 9 against rotation on the post but which will permit the housingto be rotated when desiring to change the direction of the displaydevice I2 carried by said housing.

The housing 9 includes front and rear walls I3 and I4, a bottom wall I5and a removable top wall I6 having an ornamental shape thereto. Thefront and rear walls l3 and I4 have openings to receive journals I!which rotatably support a shaft I8, a portion of which is hollow, asshown at I9. Secured on the hollow portion of the shaft which isarranged exteriorly of the housing 9 is the display element I2 in theform of a wheel including a hub 20, radially extending spokes 2| and arim or felly 22. A portion of the hub is hollow to form a chamber 23closed by a removable cover plate 24 through which the shaft I8 extends.The shaft is keyed or otherwise secured to the hub 29 and the spokes areof hollow formation and communicate with the chamber 23. The felly 22has openings 25 communicating with the hollow spokes and mounted on thefelly over the openings 25 are electric lamp sockets 26 supportingelectric lamps 21. The electric lamps extend radially from the peripheryof the wheel so that they can be visible from the front, rear and sidesof the device. The electric lamps may be of one color or a combinationof colors if desired.

A gear 28 is secured on the shaft I8 within the housing 9 and mesheswith a pinion 29 secured on the shaft of an electric motor 30 mounted ina casing 3| supported on the housing 9.- The electric motor is for thepurpose of rotating the display element.

The casing 3! is detachably mounted on the housing 9 and it ispreferable that a gasket 32 be arranged between the housing and thecasing for sealing the interior of the casing against atmosphericcondition. However, vent openings may be provided in the bottom of thecasing for cooling the motor therein if desired.

The bottom wall I 5 of the housing 9 is recessed to form a sump toreceive lubricant and a portion of the gear 28 extends into thelubricant so as to pick the lubricant up and carry it to the pinion 29.Also the lubricant taken up by the gear 28 will gravitate therefrom ontothe shaft I8 and reach the bearings I1 for lubricating the latter.

A drain valve 33 is mounted on the housing 9 and connects with the sumpto permit the lubricant to be drained therefrom when it is deemednecessary that the lubricant should be changed after a period of use.

Electric feed wires 34 enter the lower end of the post by being carriedthrough the foundation from an electrical output. The electric feedWires 34 extend upwardly in the post and are connected to branchelectric feed wires 35 and 36. The feed wires 35 and 36 extend upwardlyin the extension 8 and leave the latter to the exterior thereof by wayof stufiing glands or boxes 31. The feed wires 35 enter the casing 3|and are connected to the electric motor 30 while the feed wires 36 entera box 39 mounted on the front wall of the housing 9 by brackets 40 andthrough which the shaft l8 extends. The box 39 encloses contact brushes4| and collector rings 42. The collector rings are mounted on andinsulated from the shaft l8 and have connected thereto electricconductors 43 which enter the hollow portion of the shaft I8 and leavesaid hollow portion within the chamber of the hub of the rotatabledisplay element and are connected to annular conductors 44 arranged inthe chamber of the hub and to which are connected electric conductors45. The electric conductors extend through the spokes and openings 25 ofthe felly or rim and are connected to the electric lamp sockets 26.

The brushes M are pivotally mounted as shown at 56 and arespring-influenced, as shown at 41, to engage with the collector rings42. It is preferable that the base portion of the box be constructed ofinsulating material. Also it is desired that the box be of a waterproofconstruction,

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will be seen that all the electrical equipment such as theelectric motor, electric feed wires, brushes and collector rings arehoused within the various parts of this device so as to be protectedagainst weather elements.

With the electric circuit closed the electric motor will be in operationrotating the display element and also illuminating the electric lampsthereon. The rotation of the display element will be rather rapid sothat the electric lamps individually will not be observable and theillumination therefrom will be more in the form of a ring of lightcapable of being seen for a maximum distance also giving a very pleasingand attractive appearance so as to readily attract the attention ofpersons in the vicinity of the device.

A device of the class described is easily installed, economical toretain in operation and may be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connectionwith the drawings, will fully set forth the construction and advantagesof this invention to those skilled in the art to which such a devicerelates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

A display device comprising an upright, a vertically arranged gearhousing supported on the upright and including front and rear walls andhaving a lubricant sump at its bottom, a horizontally arranged shaftpassing through the housing and having parts journalled in the front andrear walls thereof, a motor housing connected with the rear wall of thegear housing, a motor in the motor housing having its shaft passingthrough the rear wall of the gear housing, gears connecting the motorshaft with the first mentioned shaft and located in the gear housingwith the gear on the first mentioned shaft extended into the sump, awheel connected with the front end of the shaft and having a chamber inits hub and provided with hollow spokes, lamps carried by the peripheryof the wheel, the front portion of the first mentioned shaft beinghollow, a small housing supported from the front of the gear housingthrough which the shaft passes with the hollow portion of the shaftextending into the small housing, collector rings connected with thefirst mentioned shaft and located in the small housing, brushes in thesmall housing, conductors connected with the brushes and conductorsconnected with the collector rings passing through the hollow part ofthe shaft into the chamber, other conductors connecting the portions ofthe conductors in the chamber of the hub with the lamps and passingthrough the spokes.

HERMAN V. LONGLEY.

